I this project abandoned? I don't think it is ever going to fly.

Hans has a life outside floyd. Chill.

NO!!! There is no life outside of floyd!

That's interesting stuff about the propeller, Flieslikeabeagle.

I just got back to Madison, I was home in Washburn for a couple days spending some time up there before school starts. I discovered that the fuselage of Big Floyd had a raccoon and several squirrels living in it! I cleaned it out and patched up some holes in it.

Once we have a power system, Big Floyd will fly. It hasn't been a huge priority for me lately though.

hans

So you don't think it could fly with a racoon and a couple of squirrels in it???
I vote to leave 'em in there...

Dennis

looks like a GWS prop

Slow moving propellers should all look about the same. One of Larrabee's accolades made the comment that the Daedalus couldn't have flown without his prop. We tend to have so much excess power we tend to ignore propeller choice, which should have equal priority with wing design.

Larrabee wrote a paper called "The Daedalus Propeller: A Modern Application of Classical Propeller Theory" around 1980. His work was based on German research in 1919 that had been neglected since most research was on high-speed props by 1940. Indoor free-flight props were the original ones with that "Daedelus" look. The German CF ones of today look mean.


Rick.

Gang,
That plane would fly just fine with the Racoon and a couple squirrels in it...provided they were strapped in to preserve the center of gravity. I was there (the little red Honda dwarfed by the fuselage is mine) for the flight attempt and saw what Hans put in the nose to balance Big Floyd!
I have no doubts about Floyd's ability to fly. There was plenty of "punch"...it was on its tippy-toes when the drive belt failed as Hans eased on the power...around three-quarter throttle, maybe? The tail came up instantly! Structurally, it is sound enough to lumber about at the slow speed required by its ridiculously low wing loading.
There does need to be a photo of it in the air, though...and I'm sure Hans will get to it, but he is busy with engineering school, and earning his way through said school, 250-plus miles from where Big Floyd is "hangared".
I hope to make the trip (shorter than his) and again be a member of the "ground crew" when the time finally comes!
Regards,
Scott T. Peterson

Thanks for the update Hans, keep us posted!

If you leave the raccoon and squirrels in there make sure you put them in a cage, otherwise you might have foam confetti trailing behind the first flight

Steve

And....get them to wave at the camera?

Is it legal for a raccoon to fly without a PPL.

Is the smaller Floyd (I don't remember if it was 20' or 25') still in existence?

-John

Originally Posted by rebell

Is it legal for a raccoon to fly without a PPL.

As long as it's not carrying a box cutter.

Will

Yes, the 24' floyd is still in existence. It's ready to fly, I just haven't flown it in a while. If anyone wants to buy it send me a PM..

Originally Posted by flybike

I just haven't flown it in a while..

so the big floyd has actually flown??

Originally Posted by Aidan

so the big floyd has actually flown??

His 24 foot version, not the 50 foot....